Top 5 Greatest British Heavyweights Boxers (Modern Era)

Wondering ‘Who are the greatest British Heavyweight Boxers?’ Well, then you are in the right place as we are ranking Britain’s finest heavyweights in this post.

Britain has produced some world class Heavyweight boxers in recent times; but who is the greatest of them all? Who has the greater legacy; David Haye or Anthony Joshua? How about Tyson Fury vs Lennox Lewis?

Given the savage nature of boxing, it’s no surprise that the fight game plays host to some of the biggest “egos” in sport with few boxers ever admitting that their ability is inferior to their opponent. However, a few boxers stand above the rest with a special aura, ability and acumen in the ring to stand above the rest.

These are the 5 greatest British Heavyweights of the modern era.

Greatest British Heavyweight Boxers – Top 5 Ranked

5. Daniel Dubois (21-2)

“I believe I am world-class, and it is only a matter of time before I am up there with the big names. I am a man on a mission and not going to be stopped.”

Coming in at number 5, and also the youngest boxer on this list, Daniel Dubois (27) has the opportunity to catapult his career into the global stratosphere on Saturday if he can defeat Anthony Joshua.

Following a glistening amateur career in which he won two English schoolboy titles plus two National Amateur Championships, he planned to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before opting to go professional in 2017. ‘Dynamite’ would win his first 16 bouts before suffering his first professional loss at the hands of Joe Joyce in 2020.

The London native bounced back with fanfare, winning 4 bouts before losing to Oleksandr Usyk. However, after that defeat wins over Miller and Hrgovic meant he won the interim IBF heavyweight title (which has since been upgraded to world champion).

Dubois may be young, but he is a top boxer and one of the hardest hitters around right now. There are plenty of chapters to be written yet and a win over Joshua would put the heavyweight division on notice.

4. David Haye (28-4)

“When I first went to Fitzroy Lodge, I said I was going to be heavyweight champion of the world and retire when I was 30. This is when I was 10”.

Ironically, the man in 4th place on this list is one of just two “non-active” boxers to crack the top 5 (which shows how strong British boxing is now). It’s also someone who didn’t even start his career as a Heavyweight and that’s Londoner David Haye.

‘The Hayemaker’ turned professional in 2002 and would fight 32 times across a 16-year professional career where he certainly entertained the masses only going to the scorecards on 3 occasions and earning 9 first-round knockouts.

While he was also one of the best cruiserweights of all time, he transitioned from 200 to heavyweight in 2008 when he stopped Monte Barrett in the 5th round before setting up a title bout against Nikolai Valuev. He would go on to outbox the 7ft Russian to win by majority decision and win the heavyweight championship.

3. Anthony Joshua (28-3)

“There's so much pressure on becoming the next Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson, and if you don't achieve that in boxing, you're nothing.”

There we have it, Joshua in my opinion is currently the 3rd Greatest British Heavyweight Boxer in the modern era and will look to add to his “legacy” in the boxing game by winning on Saturday.

Joshua came to boxing late only beginning in 2007 at the age of 18 he very quickly rose to prominence as one of the rising stars in British Boxing. This amateur career culminated in his Super-heavyweight Gold Medal at the 2012 London Olympics before he turned professional in 2013.

He took the professional game by storm, winning his first 18 bouts with each one of those victories coming by KO or TKO. But it was his 19th career victory coming via TKO against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 catapulted him into superstardom retaining his previously won IBF heavyweight title; and the vacant WBA (Super) and IBO heavyweight titles.

Since then while AJ hasn’t had it all his way at times, he has always shown a champion’s ability of being able to bounce back after losses against Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk (twice). He is currently on a 4-bout winning streak after wins against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.

Despite his critics, AJ is an incredible boxer and well deserving of #3 on this list at a minimum for now.

2. Tyson Fury (34-1-1)

“There’s never been someone like me in history – a fighter like me only comes along every 1,000 years”

Second on the list is “The Gypsy King” Tyson Fury whose record at the top, ability to bounce back from adversity and unique style make him the second greatest British Boxer of the modern era.

Tyson comes from a boxing family and so it has formed the nucleus of his life since birth with him even named after former boxer Mike Tyson. He had a unique amateur career representing both the UK as well as Ireland on occasion. But following an ABA super heavyweight win in 2008 he turned pro after becoming disillusioned with amateur boxing and electing not to wait for the 2012 Olympics finishing with an amateur record of 31–4. An astounding 26 of those victories came via knockout.

The professional move proved inspiring, and he would win his first 23 bouts (including defeating Derek Chisora twice) and was crowned the European WBO International and British heavyweight champion. However, it was his 25th victory which is most famous where the 6ft 9in giant used his remarkable athleticism and ring acumen to end long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko’s run as heavyweight champion easily in 2015.

Fury spent several years outside the boxing sphere following that win due to personal problems outside the ring. His return to the ring in 2020 may be his greatest chapter as he triumphed against the likes of Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte from 2020 to 2022.

He had his first professional defeat against Oleksandr Usyk last May and it remains to be seen if he can bounce back from another setback at this time of asking.

1. Lennox Lewis (41-2-1)

“The mission I set out on in the beginning – to become heavyweight champion of the world, undisputed, lineal champion – you could say that mission is complete.”

Despite the current strength of British Boxing, the greatest British heavyweight of all time is Lennox Lewis. The West Ham native had his last bout in 2003 where he defeated Vitali Klitschko in June of that year via TKO in the 6th round. After that bout, at the age of 37 years and 292 days, he would retire as the reigning WBC, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight champion.

Known for his stinging jab, it was his devastating right hand that made him one of the most dangerous boxers in the world from 1989 to 2003.

While Lewis lost twice in his career, when getting knocked out by Oliver McCall in 1994 and Hasim Rahman in 2001, the most impressive thing was that he returned to defeat both fighters by stoppage.

Other achievements include initially drawing with Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield in 1999 before going on to win 8 months later and knocking out Mike Tyson in 2002.

So there you have it, the Greatest British Heavyweights of the modern era.

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